Galileo No Longer Charging for P.E Uniforms

Starting this year, students at Galileo, and throughout the SFUSD, will no longer have to pay for their P.E. uniforms, cap and gowns are still being discussed as well. After charging students for required attire over the last thirty years, a student in the district recently complained about uniform fees, prompting the SFUSD to remind schools in the district that they are not allowed to charge money in order to fulfill class requirement.

Galileo principal Dr. Reimer talked about the situation, stating, “The district worried that it wasn’t fair, and they wanted to make it consistent for all the schools, so I agree with what the district on what they had to say, they said that ‘you can still sell school PE uniforms, but it can not be mandatory.’ For example If I were to say as a PE teacher you must wear Galileo gear or I’m going to fail you, I think we can all agree that’s not okay.”

As of now it is unclear how the district’s new policies will affect cap and gowns at Galileo. Dr. Reimer stated, “One of the things discussed in the district was cap and gowns, some schools say different things, but we’re not sure yet.”

Students who paid for their P.E. uniform this year still have an opportunity to get their money back by creating an invoice and bringing it to the school according to the head of the physical education department Mr. Winterling. Students also have the option to wear their own P.E. attire as long as it has their name written on it.

Although P.E Department head, Mr. Winterling is disappointed at no longer being able to sell P.E. uniforms at school, he realizes that the situation is out of the school’s hands. He says, “I did a lot of hard work in selling uniforms, we just gotta move forward, nothing can be done about it.” P.E. teacher, Coach Adams also gave his thoughts saying, “It doesn’t matter to me, but uniforms help the public know that we’re together. As far as money, I understand, people don’t have to buy them, but I don’t know what’s going to happen.”

On the other hand, students are grateful for the change. Freshmen Emily Lam says, ” I think it’s good because we go to a free public school, and we don’t even pay to go to school so it should be free. It’s a required class so it should be free.” In agreement, Senior Lehieu Vu says, “I thinks it pretty cool because people who aren’t going to do P.E for long, they can get it for free rather than just spending money on it, which some can’t afford.”